April 22, 2008

Is it ironic? Is it related to the pro-Ron Paul scrawlings I witnessed in the area (State Street)?

ADDED: Is Urban Outfitters putting up its own graffiti? This was on the wall next to the store. On the other side was — in the same chalked block letters — "Urban Outfitters sells 'Voting is for Old People" t-shirts." I think Urban Outfitters-style edginess would support that graffiti, which, to my eye, partakes of the same distanced faux-youthful attitude manifested by the t-shirts it seems to protest. Now, I'm thinking that I'm unwittingly contributing to Urban Outfitters promotion. Is Urban Outfitters getting the jump on me? Oh, no! Maybe I need to spend more time with family and friends.

Providence RI has about 50,000 less people than Madison and they have like 8-9 gay bars-not that's a cute small city. Also, Providence has tons of strip joints both gay and straight. Also, they have Brown and RISD which is a little more fabulous than UW and MATC.

I agree that RISD is fabulous. Their museum is just awesome, and the John Brown House is breathtaking. The best haircutter I ever patronized (Hi Sandy!) worked in Providence.

I recall that Urban Outfitters' CEO or something like that is a big supporter of the former Senator Santorum, so I don't patronize it. UO reminds me of the Peoples' Nation, but no one posting here will recall this store from the early 70s in my hometown.

"While the typical Urban Outfitters shopper is likely to be liberal-minded--as is the province and privilege of youth--the fiftysomething Hayne is mom-and-apple-pie conservative. He and his wife Margaret have contributed $13,150 to the campaign coffers of Paleolithic right-wing Republican Sen. Rick Santorum and his Political Action Committee over the years."

UO strikes me as the kind of store Bill Ayers would have patronized back in the 60s. The Up Yours vibe that is carefully calculated to cash in on young adults rebelling against their underwriters, er, parents.

I rarely go down on State Street anymore, and I had no clue where Urban Outfitters was, but I immediately recognized that brown brick wall with the fire hose attachments. I guess I did walk past it every day 20 - 30 years ago, but I still find it surprising that I immediately knew where it was. It's funny how the brain works.

Urban Outfitters pulled the whimsical Yale grads shirts back in 2004 -- are they back?http://www.vintagevantage.com/dallasnews.html

UO strikes me as the kind of store Bill Ayers would have patronized back in the 60s.

Urban Outfitters is designed to appeal to the Hot Topic demographic as they age out of junior high but before they hit Anthropologie. Once dragged into one by my niece, the only thing I considered buying was a box of highly ironic Cheesy Poofs.

60s radicals would not patronize self-consciously hip chain stores. The hippie demographic shopped at surplus stores and head shops.

I don't know if its still there, but I found the statement "We All Die Alone" that was also chalked on that building a few days ago rather amusing. I don't know that I should find a statement like that amusing, but I did.

"On the other side was — in the same chalked block letters — "Urban Outfitters sells 'Voting is for Old People" t-shirts." I think Urban Outfitters-style edginess would support that graffiti, which, to my eye, partakes of the same distanced faux-youthful attitude manifested by the t-shirts it seems to protest."

It's FAUX-youthful because in fact old people if they've learned anything should know by now that voting is stupid. Young innocents are the ones more likely to be deluded into thinking their vote matters.